He won an exciting final against Tunisia with a score of "72-69".

Lebanon ends the 48-year wait... and is crowned a champion of the "Arab Basketball" in Dubai

Great joy for the players of Lebanon after achieving the Arab title.

Photography: Ashok Verma

Yesterday, the Lebanese basketball team won its first title in the history of its participation in the Arab Championship, after waiting for 48 years, since its inception in 1974, after defeating its Tunisian counterpart by three points, with a result of “72-69”, in a match that brought them together at Al Nasr Club Hall. In Dubai, in the final of the 24th edition, whose cup bore the name of the late, God Almighty, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may he rest in peace, and seven teams have competed for the title since February 8th.

The final day witnessed the success of the Algerian team in clinching the bronze medal by defeating the Somali team with a score of 93-79.

The Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council Saeed Hareb, accompanied by the President of the UAE and Arab Federations, Major General Ismail Al Gergawi, the Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council Issa Hilal Al-Hazami, and representatives of the sponsoring companies, went to imitate the Algerian team with bronze medals, Tunisia with silver, and Lebanon with gold and the championship cup.

The Tunisian team surprised its Lebanese counterpart with the start of the match, after the "Carthage Eagles" succeeded in ending the first quarter with a difference of three points and a result of "21-18". However, the Lebanese quickly regained the initiative and were able to finish the first half, leading "37-34". By taking advantage of the second quarter «19-13».

The Tunisian team managed to excel in the third quarter (20-15), to enter the match in great excitement in its last 10 minutes, as the Lebanese team managed to snatch the victory and the title by taking the advantage of the fourth quarter (20-15).

The Lebanese team owes its victory in the final to the brilliance of its playmaker Wael Arakji, who won the title of best scorer in the match with 22 points, while the best scorer for the Tunisian team went to Mohamed Haddadi with 18 points.

• The brilliance of playmaker Arakji contributed greatly to Lebanon's crowning of the title.

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